Plumb-level.



NO. 778,756. PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904. W. 0. MILLER.

PLUMB LEVEL.

APPLICATION 1 11 31) AUG.19, 1904.

4k 6 8 Mm.

UNITED STATES Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

WVILLIAM O. MILLER, OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOEVERTT W. BUTTER, OF FREELAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLUMB-LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters, Patent No. 778,756, datedDecember 2 7, 1904.

Application filed Angus. 19, 1904:. $erial No. 221,403.

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VILLIAH C. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Freeland, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plumb-Levels,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to plumb-levels, and has for its object to providea simple and accurate instrument of this character.

A further object is to provide an instrument embodying compactness,strength, and durability in order to render the same capable of roughusage.

The invention also contemplatesa novel arrangement of parts wherebyreadings can be taken from either the top or sides of the level.

Improved details in the construction and arrangement of the variousparts of the invention will be apparent from the detailed descriptionhereinafter when read in connection with the accompanying claims,reference being had to the drawings hereto annexed, in which Figure 1 isa perspective View of the invention. Fig. 2 is acentral verticalsection. Fig. 3 is a face View of the pointer removed.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 1 denotes the bottom or baseplate, and 2 the top plate. Both plates are provided with lugs 3, towhich the side plates 10 are secured by screws 9 or other suitablefastening means. The plates 10 extend between the top and bottom platesand are spaced from each other by the lugs 3.

At 5 are indicated hangers for supporting the pointer 6. The latterswings on trunnions 6, which fit in conical sockets formed in the endsof screws 7, which are screwed into the hangers 5. The said hangersextend on the outside of the plates 10, and the indicator swings betweenthe plates. The lower ends of the hangers, through which the screws 7pass, are enlarged, as at 5, to afford a secure hold for the screws.

At 8 are indicated circular openings in the plates 10, which openingsare concentric with the pivotal axis of the pointer. A protractor-scale8 extends around these openings, said scale being graduated in degreesfrom zero to ninety between and on each side of its perpendicular andhorizontal diameters, the perpendicular diameter being marked zero, andthe horizontal terminating at 90. The pointer swings between two plates10, and its lower end is made heavier, so that it will always maintain aperpendicular position. Near the lower end of the pointer, on each sidethereof, are projections or flanges 6 which extend outwardly so as to besubstantially flush with the outer faces of the plates 10. The loweredges of the projections 6 extend closely to the protractor scale 8, andthe outer faces of said projections have a Vernierscale 6. The saidscales cooperate with the protractor-scales to render the readings moreaccurate. The top end of the pointer extends through a slot& in the topplate and indicates degrees of inclination on a scale 4', formed on bothsides of the slot. This scale, it will be'noted, reads to forty degreesonly, and when the inclination is greater than this readings must betaken from the scale 8". The advantage of the top scale 4 is to make thereadings more convenient in leveling horizontal surfaces, as readingscan be taken from the top of the level instead of compelling theoperator to stoop or bend over to obtain the results from the sides ofthe instrument. The slot 4: is of suiiicient length to permit thepointer to clear it when the inclination exceeds forty degrees.

The top and bottom plates are perfectly parallel and are also of thesame length, so that the instrument can be placed on either end andapplied to a perpendicular plane. The top scale 4 also enables theinstrument to be applied to a ceiling or overhead surfaces. In thisposition the instrumentisinverted and the bottom of the pointer extendsthrough the slot 4. The bottom portion of the pointer has anindicating-line on each side facing the scale 4 when the pointer is inthis position and cooperating therewith to indicate inclinations up toforty degrees. The pivotal axis of the pointer is so positioned as topermit said pointer to revolve completely on its axis and also toprotrude sufficiently from the slot 1 to indicate on the scale a up toforty degrees. The hangers are spaced from the side plates by plates 11,so that the projections 6 will not interfere with the free swing of thepointer.

By the use of this instrumenta spirit-level can be dispensed with, thusavoiding its liability to breakage, and means are provided for obtainingmost accurate results, unattainable with ordinary spirit-levels, as inthe latter the center of the bubble is to the average eye hard todetermine. All the parts are perfectly true and accurately adjusted, andthe slightest deviation from a horizontal or perpendicular plane can beeasily detected and computed.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A plumb-level comprising a frame having scales on its sides and top;and a pointer pivoted in the frame and indicating on the top and theside scales, said pointer having projections provided withVernier-scales cooperating with the side scales to indicate inclinationsthereon.

2. A plumb-level comprising base and top plates, the latter beingslotted and provided with a scale along said slot; spaced side platesextending between the top and bottom plates, each of said side plateshaving a circular opening and a scale around the same; a pointerswinging between the side plates and indicating on the top scale, saidpointer having projections provided with Vernier-scales cooperextendingbetween the top and bottom plates,

each of said side plates having a circular opening and a scale aroundthe same; hangers depending from the top plates; screws extendingthrough the hangers and having conical sockets in their ends; and apointer between the side plates and having trunnionsfitting in thesockets of the screws, said pointer indicating on the side scales andextending through the slot in the top plate to indicate on the scalethereon.

4. A plumb-level comprising base and top plates, the latter beingslotted and provided with a scale along said slot; lugs on both plates;side plates extending between the top and bottom plates and fastened tothe lugs and spaced thereby, each of said side plates having a circularopening and a scale around the same; and a pointer swinging between theside plates and indicating on the top and the side scales.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

VVILLIAM (J. MILLER.

Witnesses:

J OHN M. CARR, E. WV. BU TER.

